Hold on a tick!

A year ago I didn’t know if I would be coming to New York, I feared that the Mountbatten experience was going to pass me by. I worried I had left my job and moved out of my cosy flat for no reason. There I was back at my parents’ house with 2008 looming large on the horizon and no “yes, please” for me from a far off New York office. I didn’t celebrate the turning of the year. I chewed nervously on my finger nails and tried to hide my frustration and worry. Still the calendar changed and January came, with it, finally, “they want you, the final place is yours”. I scurried around organizing and packing. Finally I was off, boarding a plane to my big New York adventure.

One year on, and I have six weeks left until I’m technically unemployed and heading back to live at my parents’ house. There are worries again; all the news from the UK about the job market is doom and gloom but despite these I’m feeling optimistic about the future. This year has changed me in many ways but also reaffirmed things I already believed both about myself and the world, mainly though it has made me believe in myself enough to think that my hopes and dreams for the future are possible and are very much within my reach.

So 2009 is waiting...I wonder what it will hold?

I wish you all a happy hogmanay and all the best for the new year.

*Apparently the last minute of 2008 will be 61 seconds long to take into account the slowing of the earth's rotation.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a festive festive. Have a safe and happy time this holiday season. x

Anticipating the final bell

Brooklyn Bridge by Me

In less than 2 months I will be completing my internship programme and heading back home. Before I go home though I've got 4 weeks vacation time. I'm spending the first week in Colorado staying with my cousin near Vail, then I have 2 weeks in Mexico living on a beach with no electricity or running water, then I'm heading to back to Colorado for my last week before boarding a flight to grown-up life.
I'm working my way through job applications at the moment, hoping to find something suitable in Edinburgh but thinking that I may well end up in London. In the 5 years since I finished university I've moved about a fair amount and I think this time I will finally be settling somewhere at least for a couple of years!
I feel pretty miserable about having to go back to the UK but some things I will be happy to see the back of. Mainly though I will miss my friends. We've only known each other a year but we have been so much a part of one another's lives. E, who I am closest too out here is in Vegas* (along with most of our group) for the weekend, I had to walk to work this morning and yesterday without her and it was horrid. (I'm not in Vegas because I can't really afford it as I'm saving pennies for my month of fun + I've got no vacation days left at work, oh and I've been previously, twice!) Normally I would have seen her each morning going to work and I would have spent the majority of this weekend with her and the rest of our group. I feel rather a drift without them and that is scary. How will I cope back home when they are not in the apartment downstairs/10/15 floors down or across the street?

View from my apartment Sunday 14 Dec by Me

So here I am on the (terrifying) cusp of being homeless, jobless and friendless, well ok, so I'm being dramatic. I can go back to my parents and I do have friends back home although not many close at hand. Also my lovely friend is getting married in May so I have her hen weekend to look forward to 2 weeks after I get back (trying not to think about how I'm going to pay for it *gulp*) and lots of general wedding activities to be involved with since I'm one of her bridesmaids. Actually on that subject I was planning/hoping to lose 40 pounds this year so my friend doesn't have a fat bridesmaid. I've managed 20 pounds so far, I'd better get my wobbly arse in gear if I'm going to lose another 20 by March - I want to step of that plane and make my Mum proud!
So I do have reasons to be happy and things to look forward to. Finishing the programme and leaving New York will be bittersweet, terrible leaving this wonderful wonderful city but so pleased that I've had this year here, experienced so many things both good and bad and of course, made some truly fantastic friends. Life is moving on and my amazing time here in New York is coming to an end soon but not yet and I plan to make the most of it.
I have spent the majority of this week in a bit of a 'fug' mainly due to my crazy PMT. When I've not being wanting to stab someone, burst into tears or scream, I've just been wanting to hid under my covers away from the world. Today I'm back to being a normal rational human being and despite the horrid weather I'm going to a party on Hoboken tonight.

Have a happy weekend whatever you are doing and if you are having to deal with this weather stay safe and warm. x

The Radio City Rockettes by Me

This made me smile LOTS!

From the BBC website. Also courtesy of the Beeb this fab story which just made my smile last longer!

Congratulations to baby,picture this who's big day is this weekend. Wishing you a happy day (and long life with your boy) filled with love, laughter and happiness!

Riddles

Don't start this. It WILL take over your life.

Thanksgiving (III): Play

On Thursday morning Capt and I made these rather pathetic attempts at snowmen!


On the Saturday morning while a few of the others went skiing, Capt and I went snowshoeing.
Not long after set out on the trail we met a man coming in the opposite direction. He was what I can only describe as a bear of a man, sporting a very impressive bushy beard and with a rifle slung over his shoulder. Just after we had passed one another, Capt turned to me "That is how horror movies start!". With my wild imagination I did check over my shoulder a couple of times after that.

After getting safely back to the car, we headed over to Whiteface Mountain where the others were skiing. We took the lazy option and went up to the top of the mountain on the gondola. The views were amazing but it was oh so cold at the top. On the way back down we spotted our friends - well mainly E, who stood out in her blue camouflage kids ski jacket and neon pink hat!




Sunday arrived and with it we packed up, loaded the cars and said goodbye to our lovely house. Before heading back to Jersey though we stopped at a couple of the old Olympic sites.
We took the elevator up to the top of one of the ski jumps and wondered what would make anyone want to be a ski jumper! The next stop was the bobsled track and Capt and Stu gave it try. I would have loved to have a go to but at$75 for an experience that lasts less than a minute seemed a bit steep for my intern budget!

Thanksgiving (II): The meal

While this chap looked on from above the fire we settled down with heaped plates around the table. We had planned to sit down to eat at around 3 but some people had been enjoying drinking and hot tubbing until the wee hours (for one until 9am!). So once everyone was up and about we finally gathered around at about 7pm.

Plates were filled with lots of yummy food, glasses were filled with some fairly acceptable wine (particularly since it was so cheap!). E is a vegetarian and she didn't want a special 'veggie option' just lots of veggies which was great for all of us! While doing the food shopping we had splashed out a bit extra on Bisto in the british section of the supermarket and it was so worth it! The american meal definitely benefited from a slight British accent. We gossiped and shared stories and decided that this American tradition ain't half bad! We are already dicussing getting together next year back in the UK and celebrating it again. It will be an excuse for a reunion because in 2 months time after over a year of living on top of one another and sharing every aspects of our lives we will be back home, starting our grown-up lives.

After we had finished I waddled my way out to the garden and enjoyed the cool air, the crunch of the snow under my feet and how warm and inviting the house looked.

Of course after eating too much and drinking a wee bit too much the best thing to do is sleep. Stu, who was one half of the brilliant turkey day meal cooking duo, was the first to slip off to bed.

Thanksgiving, Lake Placid

Thanksgiving weekend was just...wonderful. 4 days filled spent with great friends eating fabby food, drinking too much, playing in the snow and lots of laughter.

Outdoors was white and cold, calm and quiet.

The view from our bedroom across Mirror Lake with Lake Placid village in the background.

This guy was just hanging out by the road.

I developed an obsession with icicles.

The weather vane on the roof.


Snow in the garden.

Snow falling on Mirror Lake on Thanksgiving day.

Snow covered trees on Whiteface Mountain.

All images by me except for view from our bedroom and me running in the snow by Captain.